A UK man who fought alongside Kurdish forces in Syria against ISIS has been convicted of attending a terrorism training camp, the first trial of its kind.
Aidan James, 28, was found guilty of receiving training in Iraq in a camp where the PKK, proscribed by the UK, was active.
He joined the Kurdish YPG, which is not regarded by the UK has a terror group but does have close links to the PKK, in 2017 to fight against ISIS despite having no military experience.
He was cleared of attending a terror training camp in Syria.
James, from Merseyside, northern England, was one of hundreds of foreign volunteers who flocked to Syria to join the fight against ISIS.
Mr Justice Edis said: "I regard this as a highly unusual terrorist case". He added James’ contact with the PKK was “quite fleeting” and that his “ultimate destination was elsewhere”.
He will be sentenced on November 7.
